Creators of “Empire” discuss conception of series, money, N-word, celebrity casting, and more

By K.B. Tindal
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Television’s most-compelling show on network television was “Empire,” created by Lee Daniels. The series stars Terrence Howard, who also worked with Daniels on The Butler, and Taraji P. Henson. Breakout stars on the show include Jussie Smollett.

“Empire” is a soap opera about the hip hop world and it pushes the envelope. Longtime television fans might even compare “Empire” to the long-cancelled daytime soap, “Generations.” In the here and now, “Empire” is having the success the other shows did not.

Danny Strong and Ilene Chaiken discussed the concept of “Empire,” which they and Lee Daniels originally intended to be a movie. However, once they saw the financial potential, they decided to create a series. The two also talked about disagreeing with Terrence Howard over the N-word, because the show is on network TV, and they discussed their celebrity casting.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Follow K.B. Tindal on Twitter @KBTindal.